We close out the second round today and the early stages of this year’s French Open have delivered both brilliant matches and set us up well for the remainder of the event. As always, we here at LWOT will preview and predict every match. Who do you think will complete the Round of 32 lineup?
French Open Day 5 Predictions
Madison Keys vs Kayla Day
Glenys Furness: 20th seed Keys needed to go the distance to reach the second round. However, Day has come through qualifying and so far has only dropped one set. Her first round was impressive and qualifiers are always dangerous. Keys has fourth-round points to at least replicate. Day on the other hand has nothing to lose.
Prediction: Day in 3
Yeshayahu Ginsburg: Madison Keys has far more experience in both big matches and against top competition, but the way Kayla Day is playing right now is unreal. I can’t pick her to lose.
Prediction: Day in 3
Jack Edward: Kayla Day is on a roll at the moment, however, she won’t have played somebody who hits the ball quite like Madison Keys. Day will be afforded time due to the surface but the difference in power of Keys’ repeated blows should give her the edge.
Prediction: Keys in 3.
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Ekaterina Alexandrova vs Anna-Lena Friedsam
Glenys: Although level on head-to-head, Friedsam won the last meeting on clay. The German will be confident that she can replicate that form here in Paris. Alexandrova is seeded, so will be hoping to go further. Fairly evenly matched this will be tricky for both.
Prediction: Friedsam in 3
Yesh: It’s been quiet, but Ekaterina Alexandrova is a very good player. She might not beat the elites at events like this, but she won’t lose to anyone else, either.
Prediction: Alexandrova in 2
Jack: Ekaterina Alexandrova has won less than half of her clay court matches at tour level throughout her career. Even Anna-Lena Friedsam, a player ranked more than 70 places below her, has an even record in clay court matches at tour level. The high altitude conditions of Madrid aside, her pacey balls are clearly less effective in slow conditions and could leave her open to an upset here.
Prediction: Friedsam in 3.
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Jasmine Paolini vs Olga Danilovic
Glenys: Second meeting on tour for these two. Danilovic won that meeting and will be looking to do so again. The Serbian came through qualifying and eased through the first-round match. Paolini on the other hand, fought hard to defeat the 30th seed over three sets. However, this won’t count for anything in this match-up
Prediction: Danilovic in 2
Yesh: Paolini is fresh off a solid upset of Sorana Cirstea, but Danilovic is in such good form. She has won 18 straight sets on clay going back two weeks. None were against elite competition, but all showed a level good enough to match Paolini here.
Prediction: Danilovic in 3
Jack: Olga Danilovic’s streak is getting a little silly. That’s 18 consecutive sets won and she showed no signs of stopping in her one-sided win over Kateryna Kozlova. All streaks have to come to an end, however—Jasmine Paolini, her highest-ranked opponent this season, might just cause Danilovic to screech a halt. The Italian is on a six-match win streak of her own and has the game to break down Danilovic’s attack.
Prediction: Paolini in 3.
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Iga Swiatek vs Claire Liu
Glenys: The Polish top seed had an easy first-round match to reach this point. Swiatek has had a great lead up consistently reaching at least the quarterfinal of the run in events. Liu has not performed well in the build-up but has made the second round here for the first time. The American won’t have the free power to get by the top seed.
Prediction: Swiatek in 2
Yesh: It’s kind of unfair to have to think of a way to describe Swiatek’s matches. So I won’t. Swiatek will win, because only a few players in the world are close to her level, and Claire Liu isn’t one of them.
Prediction: Swiatek in 2
Jack: A slow start and then it was back to lightning-fast feet for Iga Swiatek, who closed her match against Cristina Bucsa with a bagel. If you want to beat the defending champion here, you better have some real weapons in your arsenal—Claire Liu is not that player.
Prediction: Świątek in 2.
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
